content

Educating

the Next Generation

Eighty percent of the fastest growing jobs require skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science. Yet there aren’t enough workers to fill these roles. In fact, more than 3 million STEM jobs in the U.S. are left unfilled because there are not enough workers with the right skills.

This skills gap is growing, not shrinking. That’s why tech is investing in education programs, partnerships with schools and student skills training to make sure the next generation is prepared for the high-tech jobs of the future.

IBM’s Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools, or P-TECH, are unscreened public schools that offer an innovative six-year educational program in applied science: engineering, computer science or other competitive STEM disciplines. ... Read More

IBM’s Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools, or P-TECH, are unscreened public schools that offer an innovative six-year educational program in applied science: engineering, computer science or other competitive STEM disciplines. Beginning in the ninth grade, P-TECH students can start taking college courses along with their high school coursework. This integrated curriculum, in addition to paid internships and mentoring through IBM and other industry partners prepares students for a STEM-focused career. P-TECH students graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree in applied science at no cost. After they graduate, students can continue their education or interview for a "new collar" job -- one that is high-skilled but doesn't require a four-year bachelor's degree, such as an associate analyst or digital design developer. Since 2011 when the first P-TECH school launched in Brooklyn, New York, the model has grown to more than 110 schools across eight US states, Australia, Morocco and Taiwan. To date, more than 150 students have graduated from P-TECH schools in New York, Connecticut and Illinois. The graduation rate from the first school, P-TECH Brooklyn, is 4 times the on-time community college national rate, and 5 times for low-income students.

Gabriel Rosa

Gabriel Rosa was part of the first class at P-TECH Brooklyn. Through P-TECH, Gabriel took college courses beginning in grade 10, learning skills in programming, virtual reality and mobile app development. He was also hired for one of IBM's summer internships in his third year of school, working with experienced designers and digital strategists on a project for IBM. When he finished P-TECH's six-year program -- which he completed in four years -- Gabriel landed a full-time, "new collar" job at IBM as a front-end developer at age 19 and became the first in his family to achieve an associate's degree.

NVIDIA’s Techsplorer program introduces underserved youth to the potential of a STEM career. It teaches kids about the ideas and technology of tomorrow – including AI, neural networks, parallel processing, self-driving cars and more – through ... Read More

NVIDIA’s Techsplorer program introduces underserved youth to the potential of a STEM career. It teaches kids about the ideas and technology of tomorrow – including AI, neural networks, parallel processing, self-driving cars and more – through hands-on activities that challenge them to learn at home. Using everyday items such as rubber bands and paper cups, these activities make the underlying concepts as accessible as possible.

In partnership with the education nonprofit Iridescent, NVIDIA launched Techsplorer at the 2017 GPU Technology Conference, where 200 students from Title 1 Bay Area schools worked together to explore these concepts and learn about tech.

Bhan Pragya

Last year, 8th grader Bhan Pragya was one of 200 students to attend the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California. Once there, Bhan found that the tabletops were stacked with marbles, paper clips, and aluminum foil—a sure sign that students were about to participate in the NVIDIA Techsplorer program.

We had real design challenges. We had to create a big picture on a graph to think things through, and then it was all about the little details of the design,” said Bhan recalled. “The structure was too wobbly and kept falling, so we had to keep experimenting to make things work."

By exposing students like Bhan to cutting-edge ideas at an early age, the program hopes to prepare them for what the future of work will look like. “Everyone will be working with AI in the future,” said Tonie Hansen, a Senior Director at NVIDIA. “So it’s not too soon for someone who is in elementary, middle or high school to start thinking about what their careers might look like in the Artificial Intelligence world.”

Circle the Schools is a program created by sf.citi in partnership with the San Francisco Education Fund and the San Francisco Unified School District. Its purpose is to motivate leaders in the tech industry to sponsor K-12 education in the city. ... Read More

Circle the Schools is a program created by sf.citi in partnership with the San Francisco Education Fund and the San Francisco Unified School District. Its purpose is to motivate leaders in the tech industry to sponsor K-12 education in the city. Tech companies will have the opportunity to “adopt” a local public school and provide it with financial as well as volunteer-based support. Since its inception in 2014, Circle the Schools has amassed a total of 3,055 volunteers and received more than $855,000 in resources. In the 2018-2019 academic year, the program will partner 24 companies with 47 public schools throughout San Francisco.

Adopting a total of 22 schools in 2018-2019, Salesforce.org is an enthusiastic sponsor of Circle the Schools. Last year alone, Salesforce donated $7 million to the San Francisco Unified School District. This money in part go towards all aspects of expanding computer education; it will improve teacher training, purchase new computers, and finance activities for computer science-focused clubs. In addition to supporting computer science, the money granted in 2017-2018 went to support math programs, Principals Innovation Fund, teacher support and retention and college and career readiness. Also as part of the program, Salesforce employees pledged fifteen thousand volunteer hours during the 2017-2018 school year. These volunteers will visit the schools in person to teach kids valuable skills in tech.

Visitacion Valley

Over the past several years, Salesforce has become an integral part of student life at Visitacion Valley, a middle school in San Francisco. A member in the district’s Circle the Schools initiative, Salesforce has pledged millions of dollars to bolster computer science training and tech support at these schools. But for the students at Visitacion, it’s about more than money.

“I can’t tell you how much the kids have looked forward to Thursdays,” says school librarian Callen Taylor, “when Salesforce volunteers come to work with the students on computer science projects. It’s truly been invaluable for the students.”

Thanks to initiatives like these, the San Francisco Unified School District has seen a 2,500 percent increase in computer science participation and a 6,000 percent increase in underrepresented minorities taking computer science courses. By partnering with local education, tech serves as a model for other industries hoping to build a more inclusive future.